Nitrate
Woodridge Village
Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.229 ppm | 5 | 3 | ND - 0.523 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.222 ppm | 6 | 3 | ND - 0.715 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.291 ppm | 3 | 2 | ND - 0.642 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.494 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.290 ppm - 0.669 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.256 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.187 ppm - 0.324 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.273 ppm | 2 | 1 | ND - 0.546 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water
EWG Health Guideline: 0.14 ppm
The EWG health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 10 ppm
The legal limit for nitrate, established in 1962, was developed to protect infants from acute methemoglobinemia, a life-threatening disorder of oxygen transport in the body. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer and harm to the developing fetus.
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-08 | NO3 J8C0598-01 | ND |
| 2018-05-10 | NO3 J8E0776-01 | 0.274 ppm |
| 2018-05-10 | NO3 J8E0775-01 | 0.523 ppm |
| 2018-08-30 | NO3 J8H2704-01 | ND |
| 2018-09-13 | NO3 J8I0851-01 | 0.348 ppm |
| 2019-03-21 | NO3 J9C1297-01 | 0.278 ppm |
| 2019-03-28 | NO3 J9C1582-01 | ND |
| 2019-06-27 | NO3 J9F1707-01 | 0.341 ppm |
| 2019-09-13 | NO3 J8I0851-02 | ND |
| 2019-12-12 | NO3 J9L0812-01 | 0.715 ppm |
| 2019-12-12 | NO3 J9L0811-01 | ND |
| 2020-03-12 | NO3 S000025233 | 0.232 ppm |
| 2020-04-06 | N03 S000023272 | ND |
| 2020-08-11 | NO3 S000023250 | 0.642 ppm |
| 2021-08-10 | NO3 S000056146 | 0.290 ppm |
| 2021-08-10 | NO3 S000056142 | 0.522 ppm |
| 2021-08-10 | NO3 S000056163 | 0.669 ppm |
| 2022-02-08 | NO3 S000056087 | 0.187 ppm |
| 2022-02-08 | NO3 S000056103 | 0.324 ppm |
| 2022-02-08 | N03 S056103 | 0.324 ppm |
| 2022-02-08 | N03 S056087 | 0.187 ppm |
| 2023-02-08 | NO3 S0137106 | ND |
| 2023-02-21 | NO3 S0137093 | 0.546 ppm |